Mountain Home to Muir Woods Hike (9/3) Preview

We kick off the 2013 Fall 1 hiking series with a trip down into one of Marin's federal parks.

Here's Wendy's description of this week's hike:  "Today we’ll hike down to Muir Woods and learn how it became a National Monument. Lunch at Camp Eastwood where you’ll hear the fascinating life story of intrepid botanist Alice Eastwood." 

(Click here for a recap of our September 2008 hike. There is an online album of photos from our past hikes here.)

Directions to trailhead: Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go west through Tam Valley and up onto the ridge. Turn right onto Panoramic Highway and follow signs to Mt. Tamalpais. Drive about 4 miles. When you reach Mountain Home Inn on your right, park in the parking lot across the road on your left.

Time: 45 minutes from College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:00 a.m. Outhouse at trailhead and restrooms at lunch.

Weather Forecast: As of Friday, August 30th, the National Weather Service forecast for the day of the hike was patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 77. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More On This Hike: Hike "B6 – Muir Woods – TCC – Dipsea Trails" and hike "B7 – Panoramic – Lost – Sierra Trails" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we'll be hiking, but our route will not cover all of the trails taken on either of those hikes.

Ridge Trail to Olema Trail Scouting Shuttle Hike (8/27) Preview

This week we'll head back out to the Olema Valley to scout out a new hike that we've not previously done. Here are the details:

Directions to trailhead: Meet at Highway 1 and the McCurdy Trail at milepost 18.17, north of Dogtown. This is where we began our last hike to Five Brooks (where you should stop on the way to the trailhead if you need to use a restroom.)

We'll carpool from the McCurdy Trail to PRBO on Mesa Road which is the road to Palomarin.

More on this hike: The plan is to take Ridge Trail to Texiera Trail and return on Olema Valley Trail.  The hike will be 4.8 miles long with an elevation gain of about 900'. (Click here to view the trails on the Point Reyes National Seashore South District Hiking Map. This Google Earth photo shows the area where we'll be hiking.)

SINCE WENDY CAN'T CHECK OUT THIS ONE-WAY SHUTTLE HIKE ALONE, CALL HER AT 457-3949 OR EMAIL bdreskin@comcast.net IF YOU ARE COMING!

What is the difference between scouting and regular hikes? 

1) It's free!

2) Wendy doesn't guarantee to get us back on time.  

3) Wendy doesn't not to get you lost!

Weather forecast: As you Friday morning, August 23, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 70. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

McCurdy Trail to Five Brooks Shuttle Hike (8/20) Preview

This one-way shuttle hike may not sound familiar. The last time it was listed on the Meandering blog was in August of 2008. (Click here for a recap of that hike; it finished with a "Final Exam" potluck lunch, but that won't be the case this time, so just bring lunch for yourself, as usual.)

We'll meet at Five Brooks and carpool from there to the bottom of the McCurdy trail which begins at milepost 18.17, north of Dogtown.

We’ll hike 5.5 miles back to Five Brooks on the Olema Valley trail. It's mostly level, with less than 500’ elevation gain.

Since this is a SHUTTLE HIKE, CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 OR EMAIL bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!

Directions to trailhead: From north and central Marin, head out Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Olema, where you'll turn left onto Highway 1. Drive south about 4 miles (6 minutes) and you'll see the sign on the right for Five Brooks. Turn right off the highway to reach the parking lot.

Driving time is about 40 minutes from the College of Marin. Carpoolers can met at St. Rita's at 8:50 a.m.

(If you are coming from southern Marin, Five Brooks is about 55 minutes from Mill Valley and 30 minutes/18 miles north of Stinson Beach. It will be on your left as you head up Highway 1).

Pit toilets in parking lot at Five Brooks where we meet to carpool and end the hike.

More on this hike: Hike "F3 Olema Valley to Five Brooks" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, describes the route we'll take.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, August 16th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, mostly sunny, with a high near 73. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

Stan Walker's Presidio Walk Cancelled

Alas, Stan Walker reports that he's had to cancel the walk and lunch he'd planned to lead in the Presidio of San Francisco on Monday, August 12th.

The next scheduled Meandering hike will be Tuesday, August 20th Five Brooks to McCurdy Trail Shuttle Hike.

Stan Walker’s Presidio Walk (Mon, 8/12)

There will be no Meandering hike on Tuesday, August 13th, but you can join Stan Walker for a walk through the Presidio of San Francisco and lunch out on Monday, August 12th. 


Here are the details: 


When: Monday, August 9 @ 9:45 am.

Where: Meet at north part of Fort Winfield Scott.

Directions: Coming South off the Golden Gate Bridge, just past the toll booth, take the first right turn onto Merchant Road. There's a bus stop on the corner. Continue on Merchant Road to the first STOP sign at the intersection with Lincoln Boulevard. Continue across Lincoln into Fort Scott. There is somewhat limited parking on both sides of the street, so try to carpool if you can.

Please phone (415-331-2803) or email Stan (swalkrn@comcast.net) if you are planning to come so he can make reserve a seat for you at lunch.

The next scheduled Meandering hike will be Tuesday, August 20th Five Brooks to McCurdy Trail Shuttle Hike.

College of Marin Fall Hike Registration Opens on Monday!

Add caption

Registration for the Fall 2013 College of Marin Fall 1 and 2 hiking sessions opens on Monday, August 5th.
 

Register separately for each session.

Fall 1

7 Tuesdays, 9:45am–1:45pm

Sept. 3-Oct. 15

Fee $120

CRN # 85104 EC

Fall 2

7 Tuesdays, 9:45am–1:45pm

Oct. 29-Dec. 10

Fee $120

CRN # 85106 EC

(Click here for a complete list of hike details including carpooling information)

Bear Valley to Arch Rock Hike (8/6) Preview

We head out to Point Reyes National Seashore again for our weekly outing.  We last did this hike almost exactly a year ago to the day. (Click here for photos from last year's hike.)
 
Here’s Wendy’s brief description of the trek:  “This is longer than our usual hike (about 8 miles), but it's easy walking with fire road much of the way and not much elevation gain. Be prepared to get back later than 1:45 pm.”

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west from Fairfax. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. From Bear Valley Road. turn left to the Visitor’s Center.

Time: 50 minutes from College of Marin.  Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s Church in Fairfax at 9:10 a.m.  Restrooms at trailhead, outhouse at Divide Meadow.

Weather forecast: (Dick Jordan is out of town, so click here for the weather forecast for the day of the hike; you can also check the real-time weather at the Visitor Center).

More on this hike:  Hike “F4 Bear Valley Trail to Arch Rock” in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, shows the route from we’ll take.  (You can find the Bear Valley to Divide Meadow Trail on the park’s South District Trail Map).